December 2009

12/31/2009

After an abysmal performance at COP15 in Copenhagen (http://www.weonepeople.com/oneworld/2009/12/canada-contribution-to-cop15.html) the Harper government of Canada has outdone itself. Canada's Industry Minister has given PetroChina the go-ahead for a $1.7bn acquisition of two oil sand projects (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8434603.stm). It is as if Canada cannot do enough to pollute our environment, it needs foreign help do so. Shame on Canada.

12/28/2009

November 25th, 2009 was a sad day in Saudi Arabia. In the city of Jeddah 150 people died due to flash floods. On December 28th, 2009 - about a month later - at least 40 Saudi officials were arrested for investigation (see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8432432.stm). Are they scapegoats?

12/12/2009

December 12, 2009: Its below zero degrees Celsius. The blowing wind makes it colder. We've just had a snow storm. The streets and sidewalks are icy and slippery. I wish it was warmer.

A few hours away as a jet flies, in Copenhagen, the leaders of the world will suceed or fail to decide on a course of action to manage climate change. Sucess will mean that some of us will have to endure harsher winters, more snow and ice and colder temperatures. The alternative is unacceptable: The decimation of islands such as Tuvalu and the Maldives and coastal regions.